Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that information reply. It's good to see our government taking a forefront role in these national committees. The next question, Mr. Speaker, how has the NWT's leadership encouraged other provinces and territories to take a more ambitious approach to internal trade deliberations? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT is in a vulnerable position because of the national and global tensions. One example is the US tariffs and the resulting trade disputes. The NWT imports more than it exports, so we are more vulnerable to the increasing costs of things we buy every day.

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of negative economic impacts on the horizon. I'd rather focus on the positives.

The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment recently took part in discussions to reform provincial and territorial trade barriers when the committee on internal trade, or CIT, met in Toronto...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that reply. It seems to me there was a lot of excitement on advancing in a productive kind of way during the session.

My third question: It sounds like there has been good progress. What are the primary barriers to internal trade that would remain? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks to the Minister for that clarification. I'm just wondering if there's any willingness, I would say, into this barging season and I must compliment or acknowledge the support from the Minister for last year's no barging activities to the Sahtu; now this year I see a blank in that category on page 239. Is the Minister open to reviewing this with the possibility that we may not have a barge again this year for entertaining relief? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final supplementary question is, is the Minister aware that this EA, over 300 questions, have been recently submitted with a very limited response time placed by the board? This is a significant number of information requests for the line replacement project considering there is another environmental assessment in progress for the overall operating authority of the Norman Wells facility and likely another EA coming for the closure facility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member's statement, my questions today, as mentioned, are to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. To the Minister, has the Department of ECC been involved in the environmental assessment for the line 490 replacement project in Norman Wells? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to extend Happy 94th Birthday wishes to Albert Taniton from Deline. Very blessed to have our dad, which is grandpa, uncle, and lots of friends. Mahsi, and that is coming from the Taniton family.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, on February the 15th, it was my pleasure to, on behalf of this government, award and pass on two medals to Albert Taniton and Leon Modeste there who received the King Charles III Coronation Medals in Deline. Mahsi.

I'll acknowledge that as a possible door invitation for further negotiations. Nothing further on this activity there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is on the expenditure side on 238. It seems that the compensation and benefits went up and grants, contributions and transfers went down. Did we, or is it part of this activity going to see additional staff being hired because of that compensation and benefits increase?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question to the Minister is to what degree is the department involved in the 490 process specifically? Mahsi.